‘Stop Station Road danger parking before tragedy strikes’

Dangerous parking in Station Road, Hemel Hempstead.

Commuters who block up Boxmoor’s Station Road are causing a safety hazard that could end in tragedy, warn campaigners.

Concerned householders say it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt and are calling for the authorities to take urgent action.

London workers began parking their vehicles in Station Road last year when restrictions were introduced to stop commuter parking at the nearby Sportspace leisure centre.

The block of parked cars mean drivers cannot see clearly when pulling out of St Johns Road and schoolchildren from Hemel Hempstead School do not have a clear view when crossing Station Road.

One campaigner, who has launched a Twitter campaign under @smartascarrots but wishes to remain anonymous, said: “There have been so many shunts because you just can’t see the oncoming traffic.

“There was also a collision back in November where a child stepped out, the car driver slammed on his brakes and the car behind hit him.

“It is a matter of time until there is a passage in the newspaper reporting that regrettably someone has been killed on that road.”

He says every time he reports the problem he is sent around in circles by Dacorum Borough council, Herts County Council and Herts Constabulary.

“It has been a constant waste of time with these three agencies, who all want to pass the buck,” he said.

“I just want to see if we can stop someone from getting hurt.”

The parked vehicles also often block the pathway making it difficult for parents with pushchairs and mobility scooter users to get through and the grass verge has been turned into a muddy mess.

A Herts County Council spokesman said a consultation will soon be launched on proposals for waiting restrictions around St John’s Church as part of the Hemel Hempstead Town Centre to Rail Station Pedestrian and Cycling Improvement Scheme.

However, the council has refused to reveal any more details about the project, saying it is still in the early design stages.

Police say officers regularly patrol the area but the force’s powers are limited. Neighbourhood inspector for Dacorum George Holland said: “If an officer observes a vehicle they consider to be breaking the law by causing a wilful or unnecessary obstruction, they can, and will, issue a fixed penalty notice. But in the majority of cases the vehicles parked in Station Road are not always doing so.”

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